"I declare unto you the gospel... by which ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you..." Paul taught that we are saved on the condition that we keep in memory, or remember, the gospel that has been preached to us. From a historical perspective, it makes sense that Paul wanted the Christian converts in Corinth to remember and focus on simple gospel truths. Corinth was a large and diverse Greek city. In 400 BC, Corinth has a population of 90,000 (https://books.google.com/books?id=PD14aQTG05UC). The city was destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC, and rebuilt in 44 BC. Paul visited Corinth in AD 49 or 50 and Corinth later became the capital of Greece. Greek myths played an influential role in the beliefs of many Corinthians. For example, Corinthian myth taught that Corinthios, a descendant of the god Zeus, had founded the city (Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.1.1) Needless to say, the Corinthians were a diverse people with varied and conflicting beliefs. Hence, Paul's teaching that "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace," is all the more relevant. Following Pauls admonition to keep in memory the preaching about the gospel, Paul neatly defines the crux of the gospel: "...that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." The gospel is Jesus Christ—his life and death; his mission, ministry, and resurrection. Only in and through Christ can we be saved.
To follow in Christ's path, we must remember Him and his teachings. As part of the baptismal covenant that we renew weekly through the ordinance of the sacrament, we promise to "always remember Him." Why is remembering so important? What have Church leaders taught about remembering Jesus Christ? King Benjamin taught that we must watch our thoughts, words, and deeds, and that we must faithfully observe the commandments. He humbly yet boldly concludes by saying, "And now, O man, remember, and perish not" (Mosiah 4:30). In instructing his sons Nephi and Lehi, Helaman taught, "O remember, remember, my sons, that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ... And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation" (Helaman 5:9, 12). In a 2002 BYU Devotional, Dennis B. Neuenschwander of the Presidency of the Seventy suggested five things that we can remember and do (https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/dennis-b-neuenschwander/remember-remember/):
Jesus Christ and his Gospel should be the focus of our remembering. I remember by paying tithing and fast offerings. I remember by attending Church and partaking of the sacrament. I remember by reaching out to others who need a friend. I remember by studying the scriptures and words of the living prophets, and by writing down my thoughts. I remember by repenting when I forget. I remember by building a Christ-centered home. How do you remember?
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